Rejoicing.

Last week we had a mission team here at the house for several days, and it was definitly a lot of fun and a lot of work. I had a lot of fun because I was able to hang out with the youth aged students while they were here. We played lots of card games. I even scrubbed the mold off a rocking chair with a toothbrush! It was totally worth it though because I then got to use spray paint. Yes, at 21 years old I had never used spray paint until then. So it was definitely a lot of fun. Also, the tree behind the dumpster is now white, hmm I wonder why? 

We got a lot of things accomplished, and I was even able to take them down to the Huntsville Unit to watch the releases of the parolees. We waited in the heat for about an hour, and then finally they began to walk out. It was really cool getting to experience this with the group. I was able to share with them the few facts that I knew about the releases and executions that also happen at the Huntsville Unit. 

I took Rainbow Hills Baptist, and Mrs. Debra took Mimosa Lane Baptist. I took my group to the Unit, and Mrs. Debra took hers to the bus station. From what I was told from Mrs. Debra, the spirit was in that bus station that day. The high school students walked in with a mission, and definitely accomplished it. Mrs. Debra said some students walked outside without even being told, and laid hands on the bus with the men in it already. They were praying for these men. The other group was inside actually praying with the men. The students walked in missionally minded, and who knows how impactful that was for those men. I was very blessed to hear that those HIGH SCHOOL aged students walked in there at all because most high school-er would be afraid of a place like that. They walked in with one mission. Jesus. Incredible. Very moving.

Here are some pictures from the week. 

New way of mopping.

Sometimes it has to get a little messy before it's clean.

Parolee's getting released.

Very beautiful reunion.

Pray for these men, and their families.

Enjoying frozen yogurt after a hard days work.

My mold scrapping partner at 3 Spoons.

A majority of the group enjoying 3 Spoons.

This is what happens when you use the spoons you received at 3 Spoons to play spoons. 

Another really cool story from the past couple of weeks happened only yesterday. A man drove here to the house from somewhere in Dallas to pick up his brother. His brother was being released after serving 20 years in prison. (My entire lifetime). The man staying with us was excited, nervous, and anxious about the next day-- and what the future may hold for his brother. So release finally came for the man incarcerated. Can you imagine what that would feel like? Serving 20 years in prison, and then walking out the front door, and getting into a car and not have handcuffs on? Think about how much has changed in the last 20 years. Cars, cell phones, internet, cable, DVD players, and remotes that will turn off your lights. Don't you think he will be in for a wild ride the next couple of weeks adjusting to modern times? We always invite the families that come to stay with us to bring the man back to the house to take a shower. This kind of symbolizes washing the prison off of you before you leave the town. When you walk out of our doors, you are a new man. You have a brand new start. It is always really fun to be apart of this. When they got to the house after he was released the newly free man was in tears. He could not contain himself. He was so excited. Wanna know what is really awesome about this man? He found the Lord in prison! So he kept repeating over and over again, "Thank you Lord, You are so good to me." It was incredible! The brothers were so excited to be back together, and so excited that they both are following the Lord. Before they left, Joe (my supervisor's husband) asked me to take a picture of the both of them together. Let me tell you, they were excited to do that! Here are the brothers back together for the first time in 20 years. Pray for him. Pray that he does not go back to the way he was before. Pray that he continues in his walk with Christ. Only Christ can keep him satisfied.

As for me, the days are starting to come to an end here at the house. It will definitely be a bittersweet departure. I have loved almost every minute of being here. They have taken me in as if I was their own daughter, and I couldn't have asked for a better living arrangement. The Lord is really taking care of me the last couple of weeks when it comes to my emotional well-being. A lot of stuff has happened back at home over the summer, and God is giving me strength and peace I didn't know existed. I am so thankful to be a daughter of the King. I have started unpacking what I have learned here, and it is slightly overwhelming. BUT that is part of the experience. I still have 3 weeks left, and I know that they will fly by. Pray for these last couple of weeks. 

Oh, and I got a plant.  Yes it is that tiny.